An AFDX stack can be implemented in hardware or in software. When software is an option, and the budget is tight, the advantages of the software solution will far outweigh the hardware based solution.

Companies involved in the ARINC-664 Part 7 specification design are all hardware development driven. These companies naturally chose to develop dedicated, custom hardware solutions using ASICs for AFDX. But hardware solutions suffer for many reasons:

• Hardware obsolescence
• Design failures require new chip design
• More expensive than COTS hardware
• Not easily adaptable to special customer requirements

Safety-Critical Ethernet/AFDX solution from SYSGO is strictly software based and runs on COTS hardware. The advantages of a software solution are quite obvious:

• Future proof — Code can be adapted to any future requirement.
• Hazard free — Implementation issues can easily be detected and fixed.
• Flexible — Safety-Critical Ethernet Node can be dynamically configured from the host system.
• Affordable — COTS hardware is less expensive and the reusability of the software solution makes it even more affordable.